VOA健康报道2023--Gardens Can Suffer From Smoky Air, Too

Gardens Can Suffer From Smoky Air, Too

Wildfire season has begun in many places around the world. The dangerous smoke wildfires produce can spread far and wide. It blocks sunlight, poisons the air, and damages health of people and other living things.

Some of those living things could be the plants in your garden, says gardening expert Jessica Damiano. She writes gardening stories for the Associated Press.

Damiano lives in New York City and recently experienced several days of very smoky air. Wildfires in eastern Canada were the source.

Damiano, like other people, limited the time she spent outdoors when the air quality was poor. She also wore a face covering, or mask, when she had to go outside.

But the plants in her garden had no such escape. They had to breathe the poisoned air through the extremely small pores in their leaves.

Brooke Edmunds is a plant scientist and community horticulturalist with Oregon State University Extension. She said plants subjected to smoke for a short amount of time will usually "bounce back," or recover quickly.

"It depends on how close you are," she said. "There could also be a localized effect, where one garden is covered in ash, and a half-mile away, there's nothing because that's the way the wind was moving things around."

Pollutants¹ and small particulate² matter landing on your plants can block sunlight, which is essential for photosynthesis³. Reduced photosynthesis results in reduced energy. That means slower growth.

Additionally, with longer exposure, organic compounds found in smoke can interfere⁴ with a plant's ability to take in nutrients⁵. Any damage will not be noticeable right away.

The best thing home gardeners can do is "keep an eye on plants," Edmunds advises. She suggests giving your plants some extra love and care for the entire season after exposure.

"Most will pull through," Edmunds added.

Wash your plants with a gentle spray from a hose to remove substances left by smoke. Then give them a long, slow drink of water. Also, hold off on fertilizer until the air clears and plants fully⁶ recover.

Edmunds said people should not use leaf blower machines to remove ashes from plants. You do not want to risk breathing in what is blowing around.

"Always protect yourself as the gardener," she said.

Ash can change soil chemistry. If you find more than a dusting of ashes in your garden after a wildfire, bring a little of it to an expert for testing.

And if you live in an area where wildfires are common, plant smoke-resistant species that will better withstand future exposures. Native plants are usually stronger than those from other areas.

Finally, if you find ash on vegetables and other food plants, Edmunds suggests washing them before eating them. Use a solution of one part vinegar and nine parts water. Or, she said, take the skin off the vegetable. The ash is on the surface only. Your food will be safe and tasty!

Words in This Story

pore – n. a minute opening especially in an animal or plant

horticulturalist – n. a person whose work involves growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental⁷ plants

particulate – n. of, relating to, or existing in the form of minute separate particles

photosynthesis – n. the process by which plants and some bacteria and protists that contain chlorophyll make carbohydrates⁸ from water and from carbon dioxide in the air in the presence of light

species – n. a class of things of the same kind and with the same name

1 pollutants   

污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
• The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 particulate   

adj.微小的；n.微粒，粒子

参考例句：

• A special group was organized to dig up the particulate of the case.成立了一个专门小组来查明该案件的各个细节。
• Lungs retain relatively insoluble particulate material.肺脏内留有不溶解的颗粒物质。

3 photosynthesis   

n.光合作用

参考例句：

• In apple trees photosynthesis occurs almost exclusively in the leaves.苹果树的光合作用几乎只发生在叶内。
• Chloroplasts are the structures in which photosynthesis happens.叶绿体就是光合作用发生的地方。

4 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

5 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 ornamental   

adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物

参考例句：

• The stream was dammed up to form ornamental lakes.溪流用水坝拦挡起来,形成了装饰性的湖泊。
• The ornamental ironwork lends a touch of elegance to the house.铁艺饰件为房子略添雅致。

8 carbohydrates   

n.碳水化合物，糖类( carbohydrate的名词复数 )；淀粉质或糖类食物

参考例句：

• The plant uses the carbohydrates to make cellulose. 植物用碳水化合物制造纤维素。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All carbohydrates originate from plants. 所有的碳水化合物均来自植物。 来自辞典例句